Ehrlichiosis in a Moose Calf in Norway

Abstract

A case of granulocytic ehrlichiosis in a moose calf (Alces alces) in Norway is described. The animal was heavily infested with ticks (Ixodes ricinus), and died from a Klebsiella pneumoniae septicemia. Examination of blood smears from the calf revealed cytoplasmic inclusions (morulae) typical of infection with Ehrlichia phagocytophila in the granulocytes. Ehrlichia sp. was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in blood from the calf, and in the ticks. Sequence determination identified it as E. phagocytophila. This is the first report of ehrlichiosis in moose.

Borrelia burgdorferiSensu Lato andEhrlichiaspp. inIxodesTicks from Southern Norway

“…The E. phagocytophila variant has also been found in white-tailed deer in Wisconsin (2), and HGE agent variants have been found in connection with human disease in Scandinavia (4). Ticks carrying bacteria with prototype HGE agent or E. phagocytophila 16S rRNA sequences were not found, in spite of the facts that prototype E. phagocytophila is known to be endemic in southern Norway and that a moose calf with prototype E. phagocytophila infection was found at site 2 prior (2 weeks) to the date of collection of ticks (16).…”

“…Site 2, Marka (9°48ЈE, 59°8ЈN), is a mainland area of mixed woodland on alkaline igneous rock in the vicinity of sheep pasture. A moose suffering from an E. phagocytophila infection was found in the area in July 1999 and tick-borne fever is endemic in local sheep flocks (16).…”

“…Ten-microliter aliquots of the tick extract were amplified in 100-l PCRs using granulocytic Ehrlichia-specific primers EHR521-EHR747 (24). Five-microliter aliquots of tick extract were amplified in 50-l multiplex PCRs using species-specific Borrelia primers GI-R-GI-L (B. burgdorferi sensu stricto), GII-R-GII-L (B. garinii), and GIII-R-GIII-L (B. afzelii) (8) as previously described (16). PCR products were detected on 2% agarose gels stained with SYBR-gold (Molecular Probes, Eugene, Oreg.)…”

“…In order to establish an epidemiological context for the prevalence of tick-borne diseases in Norway, we have surveyed the prevalence of Ehrlichia and Borrelia in ticks from two locations in southeastern Norway-one chosen for its very high tick density and the other for its association with a case of E. phagocytophila infection in a moose (16). In order to determine to what extent the results of prevalence surveys may be extrapolated beyond the date and vicinity of collection and also to provide data on the epizootology of tick-borne diseases, we report the differences in Ehrlichia and Borrelia prevalence between the two localities and their variation through a season.…”

A Paretic Condition in an Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infected Roe Deer Calf

“…Several other mammalian species, including wild cervids and humans, have also been found infected with A. phagocytophilum (Bakken et al, 1994;Jenkins et al, 2001). In the present paper a paretic condition in an A. phagocytophilum infected roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) calf is described.…”